Networking Your Computers

Should I go wireless or wired on my network?
If you are in near proximity to your router or modem, then you should go with a wired network. While there may be no real speed advantage, there are security risks when going with a wireless network setup.

Do I need a router?
If you only have one PC in the house then, no, you do not need a router. If you have two or more PCs, then we recommend a router because they are pretty inexpensive and also help secure your internal network from snoops by providing Network Address Translation (NAT). NAT means the router has an external IP address provided by your ISP and then provides your internal network with an internal IP address, such as 192.168.1.2. This means the outside world cannot "see" the internal computers.

How can I renew my IP Address?
Try going to Start, then Run and type cmd and hit OK. At the command line type ipconfig /release and hit enter. They type ipconfig /renew or simply reboot the PC.

What is my external IP address?
To figure out your external IP address, you can visit a site like whatismyip.com. This will should you the IP address given to you by your Internet provider.

Do I need encryption on my network?
If you're running a wireless network, or if you have a wireless router, then yes you do need to run some type of encryption. If you a running an unsecured network, anyone in close proximity can access your network. Run WPA encryption with a secure pass phrase. If you have older devices, you may need to run the obsolete WEP, but it's better than nothing.